The Short- and Long-Run Damages of Fiscal Austerity: Keynes beyond Schumpeter

Giovanni Dosi, Mauro Napoletano, Andrea Roventini and Tania Treibich

LEM Papers Series from Laboratory of Economics and Management (LEM), Sant'Anna School of Advanced Studies, Pisa, Italy

Abstract: In this work we analyze the short- and long-run effects of fiscal austerity policies, employing an agent-based model populated by heterogeneous, boundedly-rational firms and banks. The model, in line with the family of "Keynes+Schumpeter" formalism, is able to account for a wide array of macro and micro empirical regularities. In particular, it endogenously generates self-sustained growth patterns together with persistent economic fluctuations punctuated by deep downturns. On the policy side, we find that austerity policies considerably harm the economy, by increasing output volatility, unemployment, and the incidence of crises. In addition, they depress innovation and the diffusion of new technologies, thus reducing long-run productivity and GDP growth. Finally, we show that "discipline-guided" fiscal rules are self-defeating, as they do not stabilize public finances, but, on the contrary, they disrupt them.

Keywords: agent-based model; fiscal policy; economic crises; austerity policies; disequilibrium dynamics (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2014
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-cmp, nep-gro, nep-hme, nep-mac, nep-pbe and nep-pke
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (13)

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Related works:
Chapter: The Short- and Long-Run Damages of Fiscal Austerity: Keynes beyond Schumpeter (2016)
Working Paper: The Short-and Long-Run Damages of Fiscal Austerity: Keynes beyond Schumpeter (2014)
Working Paper: The Short-and Long-Run Damages of Fiscal Austerity: Keynes beyond Schumpeter (2014)
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:ssa:lemwps:2014/22

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